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Please list sightings in alphabetical order by site. Do not post details of scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended). Any such reports will be removed. Please report them instead to the appropriate London Natural History Society bird recorder. Note that records submitted here may be added to the LNHS database for use in the London Bird Report; by posting your news here you agree to have your records copied by the LNHS recorder. PLEASE ONLY PUBLISH NEWS THAT IS OF WIDER INTEREST RATHER THAN LISTING ALL COMMON BIRDS. ---- 'Wednesday 7 December 2011' *Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens: 1 Tawny Owl on usual nest site, 1 Kestrel, 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Coal Tit at Feeders, pr Shoveler on Round Pond, Pochard on Long water, 50+ Greylag Goose, 15+ Egyptian Goose, c3 winter-plumaged Common Gull (as far as I could make out - but I'm no Larophile) (Charlie Farrell) *Richmond: juvenile Brent Goose on Old Deer Park playing fields at riverside end (also seen there last Sunday). *Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: Grey Wagtail (Bob Watts). *Wanstead: 3 Firecrest (Bush Wood in association with Long-tailed Tits) (NC) 7 Goldcrest, 5 Stock Dove, Coal Tit (Tim Harris), 20 + Gadwall, Shoveler, Little Grebe (The Basin), Teal, Shoveler, G Heron (Shoulder of Mutton), Pochard, Gadwall, Tufted Duck (Heronry), 2 Fieldfare (Long Wood), 2 Gadwall, 31 Shoveler, 2 Teal, 7 Tufted Duck, 11 Greylag Goose, Little Grebe (Alex), 11 Egyptian Goose (west over Esso garage), Meadow Pipit, Kestrel (the Flats) (Nick Croft) 'Tuesday 6th December 2011' *Brent Reservoir: Ad. Mediterranean Gull 3pm (Jo Edwards) *Bromley:' Long-tailed Duck' (photo here http://www.pbase.com/james_lowen/image/140147846 ) still 12h30 (Davey Leach, James Lowen, Barry Wright) *Bromley-by-Bow: 174 Teal, Redshank, Snipe, 6 Stock Dove, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Little Grebe (Stuart Fisher) *Crayford Marshes: Drake Goldeneye, 4 Egyptian Geese, 2 Green Sandpiper, Drake Pintail, c200 Fieldfare, 24 Redwing, Little Egret, 120 Teal, 2 Curlew.(Kev Jarvis). *East India Dock Basin: 175 Teal, 1 Tufted Duck (John Archer). *Greenwich Park: 2 Pheasants, 2 Egyptian Geese, Redwings (Joe Beale) *Greenwich Peninsula (viewed from north bank of Thames): 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (ad + 2nd winter) on foreshore by O2, Peregrine perched on O2 (John Archer). *Hackney Marshes and Waterworks NR: Water Rail, f Wigeon (both Waterworks), 72 Teal, 10 Pochard, 5 Shoveler, 24 Gadwall, 47 Moorhen (including along River Lea), 2 Goldcrest (Stuart Fisher) *Kensal Green Cemetery and St Mary’s Cemetery: c12 Meadow Pipit with 1m Pied Wagtail, 3 Jay (Charlie Farrell) *Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver 'showing very well mid-morning feeding close to causeway on S Basin. Also 5 Goldeneye, 3 Teal and 20 Lapwings over. No sign of Black-necked Grebe, redhead Smew or Scaup reported yesterday (Billy Dykes) *Streatham (Oakdale Road): 1 jay, 1 great spotted woodpecker (R Bell) *Trent Park: 18(11m,7f) Mandarin Duck, Lower Lake, 14:00 hrs; 7 Goldcrest (Robert Callf & Robin White). *Trent Park: 30 Siskin ( in two flocks around the Lower Lake), 2 Goldfinch, 25 Fieldfare, 15 Mandarin ( 10m,5f), 4 Tufted Duck (2m,2f). ( Pete Lowman). *Wanstead Flats: 30 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 13 Egyptian Goose (flew NW towards the basin), 17 Mute Swan, 3 Fieldfare, 3 singing Song Thrush, singing Mistle Thrush, 5 Meadow Pipit, Stock Dove (Nick Croft) *Wanstead Park: Chiffchaff, Little Egret, Kingfisher, 3 Bullfinch, 6 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Siskin, Coal Tit (Reservoir Wood), 6 Goldcrest, 90 Gadwall, 65 Tufted Duck, 39 Pochard, 2 Shoveler, singing Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Grey Wagtail, f Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Steve Thorpe) *Woodford Green: Hawfinch reported briefly in a garden at 9am (Birdguides) Details please? ''(Anything to do with this?) '''Monday 5th December 2011 *Belair Park: 25 - 30 Siskin, 2 Redwing (Dave Clark) *Bromley-by-Bow (Abbey Creek area): 179 Teal, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, 100+ Mallard, m Tufted Duck, 3 Grey Wagtail, 7 Common Gull, Kingfisher, Chiffchaff, 8 Long-tailed Tit, Sparrowhawk (Stuart Fisher) *Crayford Marshes: Yellow-legged Gull, c1000 Lapwing, 3 Rock Pipit, Common Sandpiper, 2 Curlew, 8 Ringed Plover,c 220 Fieldfare, c300 Dunlin, 4 Gadwall, 45 Wigeon, 50 Teal. (Kev Jarvis). *Dulwich Park: 2 Lesser Redpoll, 7 Redwing, 2 Egyptian Geese, Kestrel (Dave Clark) *East India Dock Basin: 190+ Teal, Grey Wagtail (John Archer) *Larkhall Park - Stockwell; 1 Kestrel and 1 Common Gull with Black-headeds, still not cold enough for Redwing as must be plenty food further out of inner London (Michael Mac). *Leyton: Fieldfare flew SSW this morning 1st of the cold weather movers? (Paul Whiteman) *Hilfield Park Reservoir: Little Gull 1st winter still (Derek Turner, Andrew Verrall). *Hyde Park, Central London: Ring-billed Gull reported (Birdguides) - any details please? *Staines Moor: c20 Fieldfare, 2 Grey Wagtail, f Kestrel hunting, Mistle Thrush (Nigel Sluman) *Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver & Black-necked Grebe S basin less than 10m from water's edge (Nigel Sluman) *Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: 2 Peregrines over at 12:45 (Bob Watts per JA) *Wimbledon Common: 2 Woodcock, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Bullfinch, c30 Redwing (David Wills). *Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Common Gull (Charlie Farrell) 'Sunday 4th December 2011' *Brent Reservoir: 5 Wigeon, 130+ Gadwall, 220+ Tufted Duck, 3 Water Rail (Roy Beddard). *Bromley, Hayes Farm: Female Long-tailed Duck '''and a Water Rail, both on the Trout Lake (Charles Kitchen). *Brookmill Park (Lewisham): 1 Mandarin, 1 Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam). *Canons Park, (near Canons Park Stn) Edgware, Middx HA8: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker feeding in northern end of the spinney, Fieldfare, 6 Redwings, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Stock Doves (NW London RSPB Group Birdwalk - Bob Husband et al) *Crossness: 1st-winter Grey Plover on foreshore off golf centre mid afternoon; also 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Water Pipit, 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, c.1200 Dunlin (John Archer, Richard Bonser). *Dagenham Chase LNR: Flock of 75-80 Linnet, 3 Jackdaw, 1 Kingfisher and 1 Reed Bunting. ( V.Halley-Frame ). *East India Dock Basin area: 220 Teal, Redshank, Kingfisher. (Gary A James). *Ewell, Priest Hill: 11 Common Gull (Neil Batten) *Grange Waters Complex: Water Rail, 2 Bullfinch, Cetti's Warbler, 72 Gadwall, 241 Tufted, 44 Pochard, Male Peregrine, Common Buzzard, 43 Wigeon, Chiffchaff and Tawny Owl.(Dave Morrison) *Grovelands Park (Southgate): 2(m&f) Firecrest, feeding in Holly & Oaks, near Ranger's Office, 13:04 - 13:05 and 13:35 - 13:45 hrs - showing very well (Robert Callf). *Hayes, Middx (Lake Farm CP) : 46 alba Wagtails in one flock with many Goldfinches, Linnets and Meadow Pipits, 26 Redwings flew over and Gulls on playing fields included 53 Black-headed, 56 Herring and 168 Common Gulls (Peter Naylor). *Horsenden Hill: 1 Firecrest Perivale Wood, 1 Chiffchaff and 1 Water Rail Paradise Fields (Andy Culshaw and David Howdon). *Leyton Waterworks NR area: Green Sandpiper, 50 Teal, 19 Gadwall, 4 Pochard, 4 Little Grebe, 35 Lesser Redpoll over west, 2 Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff (Stuart Fisher). *Osterley Park: 2 Firecrest, 2 Stonechat, 1Kingfisher, 1 Teal (K. Fisher). *River Lee Country Park, Holyfield Lake: Black-necked Grebe, drake Pintail and Goldeneye (m & f) near the weir. Peregrine on pylon no.5 and several flocks of Siskins in the alders. (S.E. Herts RSPB). *Ruislip Lido/Woods: 72 Wigeon, 118 Gadwall, 2 pr Shoveler, c30 Redwing, 3 Bullfinch, 65+ Lesser Redpoll feeding in birches (Neil Anderson). *South Norwood Lake: 1m Sparrowhawk, 20 Lesser Redpoll (John Watson Gavin Hawgood). *Staines Res, late afternoon: S basin '''Great Northern Diver, drake Scaup, drake Tufted x Pochard, four f/imm Common Scoter (three and one, widely separate), redhead Smew, two Black-necked Grebes, Dunlin (Rob Innes). *Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: c100 Fieldfare, c30 Redwing, c35 Siskin, 100 Common Gulls at Folley Farm, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Bullfinch, 7 Mandarin, 3 Teal (John Colmans). *Wanstead Park: Chiffchaff, Little Egret, Kingfisher, Bullfinch (Steve Thorpe) *Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Meadow Pipit (Charlie Farrell) 'Saturday 3rd December 2011' *Brent Reservoir: 5 Wigeon (Andrew Self & Andrew Verrall) *Bromley - Hayes Farm Trout Lake - Long-tailed Duck still present this morning along with a Water Rail - my first record at this site (Martin Birch) *Crayford: 3rd winter Yellow-legged Gull in large gull flock on wasteground by Jolly Farmers' Pub late morning (Richard Bonser) *Cross Ness: 2 (adult and 2nd winter) Yellow-legged Gull and 500 Dunlin on Thames foreshore off golf centre early a'noon (Richard Bonser) *Greenwich: adult Yellow-legged Gull and 8 Teal off Greenwich Millenium Village/O2 late a'noon (Richard Bonser) *Harefield: 6 Snipe, c20 Linnet, 12 Meadow Pipit, 3 Skylark, Reed Bunting, Green Woodpecker Little Owl, Kestrel & 5 Common Buzzard (circling together) in fields west of Bayhurst Wood (Steve Pash). *Lea Valley (Fisher's Green) - Short Eared Owl being chased by Carrion Crow over 70 Acres Lake dropping down to the visitor centre/ farm at 4.00pm, several Cetti's Warblers singing (Ian Bradshaw) *London Wetland Centre: 1 Bittern (on main lake, viewable briefly from Observatory at 14:30), 1 Jack Snipe (wader scrape), 13 Little Grebe, 3 male Pintail, 1 Peregrine (Billy Dykes) 11 Common Snipe, pair Stonechat, 4 Cetti's warbler, 10 Redpoll, 30+ Siskin (Martin Honey).. *Lower Chingford (Russell Lane): 1 Water Rail, 1 female Goosander, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret (James Palmer) *Rectory Farm (Enfield): 1 female Sparrowhawk, flew over; 6 Skylark, flew over calling; 3(2m,1f) Yellowhammer (Robert Callf). *Ruislip: c50 Redpoll, 2 Siskin, Pr Bullfinch, lots of Redwing and a few Fieldfare, Common Buzzard & Sparrowhawk at the LIdo & Poors Field (Steve Pash). *Staines Reservoirs, late afternoon: S basin juvenile''' Great Northern Diver', three f/imm Common Scoter and two Black-necked Grebes; N basin imm Shag, drake Scaup (first-winter I think on second thoughts perhaps more likely adult with retained eclipse plumage.) and drake Tufted Duck x Pochard (Rob Innes). *Perivale (Horsenden Hill and Canal area): 2 Goldcrests, 50+ wood pigeons, 1 collared dove, 10+ long-tailed tits (Becky Powell), 1 Firecrest and 1 Treecreeper (local rarity) Perivale Wood and a male Blackcap commuting between bushes on the north side of the Grand Union Canal and Perivale Wood (Andy Culshaw). *Wanstead Flats: 34 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 2 Teal, 8 Tufted Duck, f Pochard, Little Grebe, 578 Common Gull (Tim Harris/Nick Croft) *Wanstead Park: 2-3 '''Firecrest' (Bush Wood south of Quaker cem on westernmost path), possibly another 2 in Reservoir Wood, 8 Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff (old sewage works), f Blackcap (Reservoir Wood), feeding Redwing (Bush Wood), 8 Shoveler, 88 Gadwall, 43 Tufted Duck,c. 40 Pochard, 20 Teal, 6 Heron (Nick Croft/Tim Harris) 'Friday 2nd December 2011' *Bromley: Long-tailed Duck still showing well on Hayes Trout Farm. + lots of small stuff in the woods between Rookery Lane and the lake including a Treecreeper, a Bullfinch & several Goldcrests. (Conrad Ellam & John Bushell) *Hemans Estate Community Garden/Stockwell: 3 Common Gulls and Black-headed Gulls catching bread in mid-air (Michael Mac). *London Wetland Centre: Peregrine on the shingle island in front of the Observatory, Sparrowhawk, Bittern, 3 Common Snipe (no sign of the Jack Snipe today), great close up views of a Water Rail under the bird feeders near the Explore area (photos on the WWT London Facebook page), also Water Rail openly preening on the grazing marshes, at least 10 Lesser Redpolls around the lagoon, Shelduck (W.Marks) *Mayesbrook Park: Chiffchaff, Grey Wagtail, 30 Gadwall, m. Wigeon ( G.Harding) *Richmond Park: 1 male Pheasant by Pen Ponds plantation (not seen here before), 1 male Stonechat, flock of 47+ Chaffinch, 3 Redpoll over calling, Teal, Gadwall, Wigeon, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, 1 Kestrel. (Louis Freeland-Haynes) *South Norwood Lake: 10 Lesser Redpoll, 4 Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch,(John Watson & Gavin Hawgood) *Staines Reservoir: juv Shag still on rafters, Black-necked Grebe N basin, 2 f Smew S basin east end near causeway, 11 Goldeneye (4m, 7f), 4 Teal, 99 Lapwing, 4 Little Grebe, mixes of Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Wigeon, Shoveller, Pochard, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Meadow Pipit, mixed Linnet/Goldfinch flock (Nigel Sluman) *Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake : c125 Fieldfare, 20 Redwing, 5 Bullfinch, 5 Teal, 8 Mandarin (John Colmans). *Tower Bridge: Common Sandpiper feeding on "Tidy Thames" barge moored off City Hall, briefly at 1.05. Also Grey/Pied Wagtails in area (James A) *Trent Park: c80 Fieldfare, 30 Redwing, 10 Lesser Redpoll ( over Hadley Rd Car Park), 2 Siskin, 4 Tufted Duck (3f,m), 6 Mandarin (4m,2f). ( Pete Lowman). *Uxbridge (Brunel Bicen. Gardens): 8 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Bullfinch (Nigel Sluman). *Wanstead Flats: 35 Shoveler, 3 Gadwall, 8 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 2 singing Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Kestrel, Goldcrest (Nick Croft) *Wanstead Park: Chiffchaff (old sewage works), Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, 20+ Song Thrush, 5 Redwing, Fieldfare (all OSW), 5 Lesser Redpoll, Kestrel, 64 Tufted Duck, 67 Gadwall, 37 Pochard, 4 Shoveler, Egyptian Goose, Little Grebe (Nick Croft) 'Thursday 1st December 2011' * Bromley: Long-tailed Duck still on small fishing lake viewable from track between Rookery Lane and George Lane (Ian Woodward) * Cowley, Brunel University, Bicentenary Gardens: 2 Blackcaps (males), c.20 Redpolls and 6 Bullfinches this morning. Also at least 3 Blackcaps in my nearby garden. (Roger Morton) * Crayford Marshes: Short-eared Owl hunting near the flood barrier. 5 Yellow-legged Gull, female Peregrine,2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail. (Kev Jarvis). * Hemans Estate Community Garden/Stockwell: 1 Kestrel seen on chimney on adjacent factory, Great Tit singing in the am (Michael Mac). * London Wetland Centre: Bittern, mixed flock of Lesser Redpolls, Siskins and Goldfinches, Water Rails showing well, Jack Snipe showing well (W.Marks) * South Norwood Lake: 9 Lesser Redpoll, (John Watson & Gavin Hawgood) * Staines Reservoir: 4 Common Scoter and Scaup '''on S basin early am (Bob Warden per FJM). * Stockers Lake: '''Cetti's Warbler, in reed bed bordering Bury Lake. Occasional call though nothing sustained. Probably same bird from 9/11. (Richard Francis) * Trent Park: c250 Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, 8 Siskin, 3 RN Parakeet, Nuthatch, 4 G S Woodpecker, 2 Cormorant, 3 Tufted Duck(f), Lesser Redpoll, Mandarin (m). ( Pete Lowman). * Tyttenhanger GPs: 2 European White-fronted Goose and Tundra Bean Goose still, plus Green Sandpiper, Snipe, c100 Lapwing, 3 Tree Sparrow, 3 Yellowhammer, 2 Redpoll, Reed Bunting (Steve Blake). * Wanstead Flats: 30 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 8 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck, f Pochard, 10 Greylag Goose, 10 Skylark, 7 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stock Dove, Lesser Redpoll, Kestrel (Nick Croft) * Wanstead Park: Firecrest (Tim Harris/NC), 3 Goldcrest (1 singing), Water Rail, Kingfisher, 2 Egyptian Goose, 50 Gadwall, 53 Tufted Duck, 44 Pochard, 2 Shoveler, 5 Siskin, 11 Redwing, Coal Tit (Nick Croft) 'Archived News' News from previous months/years